Destcember 2018
by TheWolfParadox
Summary: This is a collection of little oneshots for some of the Destcember prompts. Can also be found (along with the art pieces) on my Twitter and tumblr.
1. Last City

**Disclaimer: quite a few of these will involve Chasing Fate characters. However, the events might not be canon in the main series.**

* * *

It was one o'clock in the morning and Tristan was awake. He hadn't awoken violently or in a rush. One moment he was asleep, the next, he was awake. As simple as that. As soon as his eyes opened, he knew there was no chance of falling back asleep. Something just told him it wouldn't be happening. So instead of lying there for the rest of the night, he got up, throwing on a hoodie and a pair of sandals. He decided not to wake Trillian - she had more than enough to worry about as it was.

Treading softly to the door, he stepped out into the cool night air. Then he began walking. He had no particular destination in mind, he just felt like moving. The moon hung silvery and pale, peering over the shoulder of the Traveler. Tristan looked up at the night sky, speckled with stars and crisscrossed with jetstreams from jumpships. They were lucky to get nights like this. Often around this time of year, the sky was crowded with thick grey clouds that promised snow. A brisk wind nipped at his face and feet as he wandered across the plaza. His only company was the pigeons roosting on the railings, refusing to migrate even this late in the year. Within a few weeks, the Long Night would be upon them, bringing with it a shift in season.

He emerged into the North Tower, glancing around. No one would be out at this time of night, not even the Speaker. Wait. He stopped.

Standing at the railing inside the Speaker's study was a figure. Against the lights of the City that was never truly asleep, they appeared as a silhouette, a shadowy outline facing the Traveler with their head tilted down.

Curiosity stirred inside him and he approached, keeping his footsteps even and silent. He was a foot away when they whirled, grabbing his wrist.

He felt a sharp edge press into his neck and froze. But for some reason, he was not afraid. As he squinted, he was able to make out the details of their face, most notably, the glowing white eyes that shone out at him. "Rae?"

The Awoken Warlock shifted. "Tristan?"

Tristan looked down. "You're threatening me...with a book?"

Rae huffed, pulling the book away. "The hell are you doing out here?"

Tristan chose to ignore the hypocrisy of her question. "I was unable to sleep." Rae nodded, accepting his answer before turning back to the railing. "May I ask what you were doing?"

She shrugged. "Never slept well here."

"I see… When did that start?"

She shot him a suspicious look. "Why do you care?"

"I was just asking."

She sighed. "Since _always_ , Tristan. Since I got here."

Tristan nodded, but her answer didn't satisfy him. He wanted to know more. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Haven't you already?" He didn't reply, waiting for her answer.

She groaned. "Whatever."

"Where were you revived?"

"I wasn't."

"I mean to say, where were you revived the first time?"

"Cosmodrome. Stupid Captain got the jump on me during a mission."

"That's not what I meant."

"No, I _know_ what you meant Tristan and I already told you. I. Wasn't. Revived."

"But to become a Guardian-"

"You what? _Have_ to have been dead?" She snorted. "Guess I have more existential issues to sort through than I thought." He didn't say anything but he was pretty sure she felt his questioning look. "My Ghost, Shard, found me at the Reef during the City Age. It's where I was born and it's where I grew up." She glared into empty air. "I didn't exactly 'fit in well' with my peers. My parents were traditional Reefborn Awoken - they wanted nothing to do with Earth or the City. I became a soldier as soon as I was able and it wasn't long before they promoted me to the Corsairs."

Tristan blinked at her. He knew enough about the Awoken to know that not just anyone could join the Corsairs.

"Had a lot of opportunities to prove myself, 'cause a couple years later, the Wolves tried to push through the Reef to join the battle of Twilight Gap. I was there at the Siege of Pallas, the Hildian Campaign, and my squadron helped foil the Cybele Uprising." She didn't speak with the air of one looking for praise or recognition, her tone was matter-of-fact and to the point. "I was also there when Petra Venj called in the strike that took out three Guardian fireteams. Shard was sent later with a message. That's when he chose me."

Tristan was fascinated. Rae's story made it clear to him that he still had a lot more to learn about how Ghosts and Guardians worked. Still, there had been a point to this conversation and he wanted to know where it was leading. "It's an incredible story, Rae, but I fail to understand how it has anything to do with why you have trouble sleeping."

"I'm getting to it," she said, a hint of annoyance in her tone, "Tell me, what do _you_ think happened after I was chosen as a Guardian?"

"I assume you left the Reef to come here."

"I did leave, but it wasn't by choice. You have to understand what it's like at the Reef. The Awoken want nothing to do with Earth and even less to do with Guardians. Some stuff's changed since then but not as much as you'd think. They would've seen me as a traitor. I'd've been locked up or worse. Instead, I went to the City. It's not the same here. I miss looking out into deep space. I miss being a Corsair."

Tristan frowned. "You shouldn't focus on the negative aspects so much, Rae. I know I can't begin to understand what your life was like before, but maybe if you stopped dwelling on the past, you would have an easier time sleeping. The Last City isn't just a place, it's an idea that has brought people together even when they were scattered across the Earth during the Dark Age. It belongs to everyone that seeks it out, and that means it belongs to you, too."

Rae frowned thoughtfully as she took in the glittering lights of the City. "...Thanks, Tristan."

He smiled.

"But I wanna make this clear… while you may annoy me the least out of our merry band of idiots, if you tell any of them about this, your death will be swift."

Nothing in her voice hinted that she was joking. Tristan nodded and decided he might try and get some more sleep after all.


	2. Living Without the Light

Kaedro struggled to regulate his breathing as he moved deeper into the structure. Lights flickered above him as he scanned the hallway, making sure nothing was about to jump out at him. His boot landed in the water and he flinched at the loud splash, bracing himself for the onslaught of Hive. When nothing happened, he sighed and continued forward. He couldn't remember ever having experienced fear quite like this. Possibly when he was revived and had to fight Fallen for the first time. Or on his first field mission. But everything became routine after doing it for as long as he had. That was probably what made his fear now all the more biting. It was there, lurking behind everything from his unsteady feet to his hands clenching around his auto rifle.

It had never been a problem before. Before, he would have run ahead without a thought. Before, he met death again and again without apprehension. Because before, it hadn't mattered. But all that had changed. Now he was careful. Now he took precautions, checked every corner. Now, he stayed near shelter. Because now it did matter. Now if he died, there was no coming back. There was no Light, no immortality. Just his gun and the Hive and the waterlogged corridors of Siren's Watch. Before, he had the Traveler with him, the Void at his back. Now, caution was the only thing that kept him alive. Caution and bullets.


	3. Black and White

TYPE: Transcript

DESCRIPTION: Conversation

PARTIES: Two [2]. One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter [u.1]; One [1] Guardian-type, Class Warlock [u.2]

ASSOCIATIONS: The Reef; The Awoken; Sov, Mara; Sov, Uldren; Guardians; Marko, Livayla; Korrin, Raedryon

/AUDIO UNAVAILABLE/

/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../

[u.1:01] Did you fly out to the Shore yet?

[u.2:01] No.

[u.1:02] I've been out a few times since Ace took out the Barons. [beat] It's wild out there.

[u.2:02] Isn't that what you Hunters like?

[u.1:03] Well, yeah, but there's something about this place that makes me think it's more "wilderness" than anything else in this system.

[u.2:03] That's because it is.

[u.1:04] Thinking about heading back tomorrow.

[u.2:04] Have you paid the Spider a visit yet?

[u.1:05] Nah. Rhys won't let me. I think he's scared the Spider'll add him to his collection or something.

[silence]

[u.1:06] What do you think about the Awoken?

[u.2:05] _We're_ Awoken.

[u.1:07] I know. I meant the proper Awoken. The ones born in the Reef.

[u.2:06] I _was_ born in the Reef.

[u.1:08] Then you should be able to give me a good opinion.

[silence]

[u.1:09] You've been to the Dreaming City, right?

[u.2:07] Maybe.

[u.1:10] You've kept the trait of giving vague answers.

[u.2:08] So what if I've been there? What does it matter?

[u.1:11] It's just _different_ there, is all. The Corsairs are all polite and everything, but you get the feeling that you're intruding. [beat] I don't think they like me.

[u.2:09] I don't know if _I_ like you.

[u.1:12] Ha ha. Very funny. But _I'm_ Awoken and even _I_ feel like an outsider.

[u.2:10] That's 'cause you _are_. You're Awoken, but you're not Reefborn. They'll always see that first.

[u.1:13] Well what about you? You were born there. How come you don't fly out there?

[u.2:11] Because I'm an outsider too. I became a Guardian. That probably makes me more of an outsider than you in their books.

[u.1:14] That's stupid. You know, _I_ think you're making excuses.

[u.2:12] You sound like Shard.

[u.1:15] I'll take that as a compliment.

[u.2:13] It's not.

[u.1:16] Well it doesn't matter, because you're missing the point. I don't think the City's as different from the Reef as they make it out to be.

[u.2:14] What do you mean? It _is_ different. Period. That was the whole topic of this pointless conversation.

[u.1:17] No. I've got a theory. It's all in perceptions. That's why you're saying that. Reefborn Awoken seem to be pretty close-minded.

[u.2:15] Be careful who you say that to.

[u.1:18] Relax. I'm not gonna say it to the Queen if that's what you're worried about. All I'm saying is maybe things aren't as black-and-white as the Awoken make them out to be.

* * *

 **A/N: First off, I really love this format. Secondly, thank you ladyefriyeet for your review :)**


	4. In The Vanguard

Everything was different now. Of course, that was to be expected since so much had changed. The Tower was gone, the Speaker was dead, and everyone was still dealing with the aftermath of the Red War. But the part Cayde couldn't get past was how things had changed among the Vanguard. It used to be they were all together, operating out of the same room, standing at the same table day in and day out. Nowadays they were all scattered to the furthest edges of their new home. Literally. Zavala in the Courtyard, Ikora in the Bazaar, and him in the Hangar. It wasn't something they'd discussed, it'd just sort of...happened. And he'd liked it at first. The space was welcome after being sequestered in that one room for so long. But eventually, he found himself missing the other Vanguard. There was no more banter, no more of Ikora trying not to laugh at his jokes, no more bothering Zavala. They were both off in other areas now. Watching the Traveler. Watching the City. Meanwhile, he was stuck in the Hangar, watching...something. Sure, Amanda was right nearby and he got lost of visitors from the other Guardians, but it wasn't the _same_.

He cursed himself for getting soft. _Look what being stuck in that room did to you, Cayde._ But it didn't matter. He still missed it. The Wilds were calling more and more each day. He started communicating with Petra Venj and eventually he found himself flying out to help her with whatever new crisis arose in the Reef. It was a welcome distraction, being back in the field, and it was something he'd kept himself for doing for a long time. Before, there was no way he would've gotten away with it. But now things were different. He didn't feel as tethered as he had in the old Tower, before the Red War. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad, it just _was_. So when Petra contacted him again, this time about a riot in the Prison of Elders, he didn't think twice.

* * *

 **A/N: Much luv to ladyefriyeet for the kind words.**


	5. Say My Name

"Hey, Kai! Kai! Kai! Kai! Stop ignoring me Kai! Kai! Kaiiiiiiiiii!"

" _What_ is it Allerton?"

"I have a question for you."

"So ask it then. Sooner you ask, sooner you leave."

"Why don't you call me by my name?"

"I call you by your name all the time, Allerton."

"You never use my first name! Whyyyyy?"

"It's a Titan thing."

"Nuh-uh. You call Jade by her first name. You call Liv and Tristan by their first names. You even call Ace 'Ace' instead of his _actual_ first name."

"They don't have dumb names."

"What?! My name isn't dumb!"

"Sure, Allerton. Whatever you say. Now get lost."

"No. I'm not leaving till you call me by my first name."

"If you follow me around all day, I _will_ drop you off Felwinter Peak. And I _will_ laugh while I do it." "Ok then how about this. Tristan and Jade are in the library researching something. I dunno what it is but whoever can steal more books without being noticed wins. And if I beat you, you gotta use my first name."

"Ok. What if I beat you?"

"We do a private match in Crucible. You can make the teams."

"...Can I control how many people are on each team?"

"Yeah."

"So theoretically, I could put you on a team all by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Deal. This is gonna be the best Crucible match ever."

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 **ladyefriyeet: Yeah I've been working on them ahead of time so I could get them out**


	6. Legacy of the Golden Age

"You busy?"

"No, I was almost done. Why?"

"I just wanted to ask you something."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Do you remember your old life?"

"..."

"...Jade?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Delta might have told Jyn and she...might have mentioned it by accident."

"Yes. I do remember my life from before."

"But-"

"I can't tell you why, just that I do."

"But-"

"Kaedro, I'm not an expert in retrograde amnesia or any other type of amnesia for that matter."

"So...you can remember the Golden Age?"

"That's when I grew up, yes."

"What was it like?"

"I really don't know how to explain it… I lived in a house with my family. I went to school. I...it was just _life_. I'm sorry I can't explain better. Everything was just so different back then. It was a different way of life. Instead of just one city, there were thousands of them, all over the Earth."

"What about the Traveler?"

"I never saw it in person."

"If you remember all that, then do you remember...how you died?"

"...Yes. And if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not talk about it."

"I get it… Well, actually, I don't because I'm an Exo and there are parts of my _current_ life I can't remember. What's it like to remember your past?"

"Honestly, most of the time it's a curse. I can't stop comparing how things are now to how they were. So many people died, Kaedro. So much of civilization was lost. And a lot of the time it feels like I'm alone because no one else remembers."

"Damn… You're almost making me feel glad that I don't remember anything."

"It's not all bad, though. Sometimes I _do_ see it as a blessing. And maybe it was. I have no idea how the Traveler works, but there are so many Guardians who don't remember anything at all. That's when I feel lucky that I have something to hold onto. You know, thousands of years ago, there was a civilization called Ancient Greece. The Greeks believed that no one truly dies as long as someone remembers them... So maybe in some way, the Golden age _is_ still alive. In records, in technology, and in my memory."


	7. What Is Worth Fighting For

TYPE: Transcript

DESCRIPTION: Conversation

PARTIES: Two [2]. One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter [u.1]; One [1] Ghost-type [u.2]

ASSOCIATIONS: The Dawning; The Golden Age; The Traveler; The Light; The Darkness; Guardians; Ghosts; The Last City; Earth; Allerton, Fyr; Commander Zavala; Hayden, Harley

/AUDIO UNAVAILABLE/

/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../

[u.1:01] Hey, I've been thinking…

[u.2:01] Oh no. I hate when you say that with that tone.

[u.1:02] What's wrong with my tone?

[u.2:02] Nothing good has ever come of that tone. Last time I heard it, you went poking into the Vex and look how that ended.

[u.1:03] In victory? I don't see your point.

[u.2:03] You know what? Nevermind. What were you thinking about?

[u.1:04] Why do you think we're doing this?

[u.2:04] Um, because we were next on patrol rotation? Was that meant as a trick question?

[u.1:05] I wasn't talking about the patrol. I meant being a Guardian, fighting the Darkness. [beat] Is there a point to it all?

[u.2:05] Why can it never be the easy questions with you? You know, Spark says Fyr asked him what Zavala's favorite color was.

[u.1:06] Well, that's Fyr. [beat] What was it, by the way?

[u.2:06] That's irrelevant! You're asking me whether there's a point to this fight!

[u.1:07] Well, is there?

[u.2:07] Of course. We're protecting the Traveler.

[u.1:08] Don't report me for saying this or anything, but is it worth it? And before you get angry, let me clarify. The Traveler brought us a Golden Age that lasted centuries. I know that. But this fight against the Darkness must be nearly as long if not longer. Is there an ending to it or will we just keep fighting forever?

[u.2:08] We'll fight until the Darkness is gone.

[u.1:09] But what if it's never gone? What if we _can't_ beat it? What if the Light can't exist without it?

[beat]

[u.2:09] You've been reading the works of Ulan Tan, haven't you?

[u.1:10] What happens if the Traveler decides to leave? Like it left the Fallen? We had a close call with the Collapse and just now with the Red Legion. If it's gone for good, where would that leave us?

[u.2:10] You know, the Dawning is supposed to celebrate new beginnings-

[u.1:11] You're avoiding my questions.

[u.2:11] I honestly can't answer. I can't tell you why we fight-

[u.1:12] Because there's no point?

[u.2:12] Because everyone fights for different things. Yes, a lot of Guardians do fight for the Traveler and the Light. But if those aren't good enough reasons for you, then fight for something else. Fight for the City. Fight for your friends. Fight for the hope of a better future.

[u.1:13] "A better future," huh? [beat] I like that.

[u.2:13] You asked what we fight for. I think we fight for what we have faith in.

[silence]

[u.2:14] Was that a tear I saw?

[u.1:14] No.

[silence]

[u.1:15] Maybe. [beat] Look, the Dawning brings out my sentimentality.

[u.2:15] I see. [beat] Well, in that case, Happy Dawning.

[u.1:16] Happy Dawning, Prism.


	8. Let It Snow

It would be snowing at the Tower. Jade knew this, even though she wasn't there to see it. It snowed every winter. You'd have to start watching your back while crossing the plaza or, more than likely, you'd take a snowball to the head. Guardian snowball fights tended to get disproportionately competitive.

Jade leaned back against the rusty metal railing and closed her eyes in an attempt to picture the snow. It would coat the whole City in a film of white, covering the destruction the Red Legion had caused. Did the Cabal have snow where they came from? Would they appreciate it as humans did? She had a feeling they wouldn't.

The loud crash of thunder jolted her out of her daydream. Through the double-paned window, she could make out the crests of methane waves as they pushed against the rig. Lightning flashed orange on the horizon and rain splattered against the glass. She sighed. It was always storming on Titan. She wished she could board her ship and fly to a different planet, but she had promised to aid the effort to retake the base from the Hive. It was not going well. She closed her eyes again, transforming the tempestuous planet in her mind. She froze the ocean, turning it flat, smooth, and glittering. The raindrops became white fluffy flakes that drifted gently down from the ever-present clouds. If she couldn't celebrate the Dawning on Earth, the moon of Saturn would have to do.


	9. Chosen Undead

**A/N: This one's in the format of one of the Ghost Stories lore entries**

* * *

Peregrine Institute of Higher Learning Presents:

"The Traveler's Risen"

A guest lecture by two Guardians about power, immortality, and their jobs

Featuring: Kai Grayham (Titan) and Tristan Bentlix (Warlock)

Transcript of the Q&A session is as follows:

Q: Welcome, Guardians. It's a pleasure having you here today.

KAI: No idea why I agreed to this.

TRISTAN: Thank you. We're happy to be here.

KAI: Don't speak for me, Tristan.

Q: So being Guardians, you two must have a lot to deal with.

KAI: Understatement.

TRISTAN: It can be a lot at times, yes.

Q: So what exactly does being a Guardian entail?

KAI: It's not a mystery. We fly around and fight aliens.

TRISTAN: There's a bit more to it than that, Kai. We travel to different planets to handle various threats. A lot of our job involves fighting other races, yes, but we also gather data, scavenge supplies, and survey our enemies' movements.

KAI: The boring stuff.

Q: I see. And how would you say the Light plays into what you do?

KAI: That's a stupid question. We EXIST because of the Light. What do you-

TRISTAN: Well, as everyone knows, we are connected to the Light and we use that connection quite often. In fact, some Guardians use their abilities more than their weapons.

Q: Would you say that your connection to the Light gives you a deeper understanding of the Traveler?

KAI: [scoff]

TRISTAN: That's where many people tend to get mixed up. Our connection to the Light allows us a more tangible relationship with the Traveler, but I don't think any Guardian can speak to a deeper understanding of it.

KAI: What is there to understand? It came from space, it does weird things to planets, and it brings back the dead.

TRISTAN: Actually, that's an excellent example of how much we don't know. No one is completely sure where it came from, although there are records of it having chosen the Eliksni - what most people call the Fallen - in the past. We don't understand how it terraformed the planets, nor how it can reanimate lost souls.

Q: That brings me to another question, and I think this is something a lot of viewers will want to know… What is it like coming back from the dead?

KAI: It sucks.

Q: Could you elaborate on that?

KAI: No.

TRISTAN: If I may, the first time our Ghosts revive us is generally very unsettling. I can only liken it to waking up from a coma. We're immediately faced with an unfamiliar existence. The majority of Guardians suffer from retrograde amnesia. Many of us can't remember any part of who we were in our past life. There are exceptions, of course, but not very many.

KAI: It doesn't help that we have to start fighting for our lives right afterward.

TRISTAN: Indeed. The areas Ghosts revive us in are almost never safe. Most of us are forced to start fighting before we know what we're even fighting FOR.

Q: So what you're saying is that revivals are often traumatizing. But after facing death multiple times, is there a point where you become used to dying?

KAI: The hell? NO. It's freaking DEATH, not 'falling asleep.'

TRISTAN: Sorry about Kai… That's an interesting question, but I'm afraid I don't have a very good answer. Every Guardian sees death differently. For most of us, it comes with the territory of what we do. Some Guardians actively seek out death in an attempt to learn things by inducing visions.

Q: Is that something you've done?

KAI: [snort] That's a GREAT question. 'Hi. Have you ever killed yourself?'

TRISTAN: I've looked into Thanatonautics before from a researcher's perspective but have never tried it myself.

Q: But you've experienced death more than once?

TRISTAN: Yes, I have.

Q: And do you ever...see things before your Ghost revives you?

TRISTAN: I have not yet received a vision from the Traveler.

Q: What about places or people?

KAI: Oh, just come out and say it. You're asking if there's an afterlife. The answer is no.

TRISTAN: KAI

KAI: I'm not going to sugarcoat it. You want to know what happens after you die? Nothing. Next question.

Q: As long as you have your Ghosts, you're effectively immortal. Would you consider immortality something that causes a rift between Guardians and those without the Light?

KAI: Hell. Yes.

TRISTAN: If you think about it, there's no way a rift like that WOULDN'T exist. We always heal. We always come back. When others are affected by age, we are not. It's not an easy topic to think about, but it's something we have to consider whenever we form relationships - of any kind - with someone who isn't a Guardian.

Q: And there you have it, folks. There's a lot we don't know about our Guardian protectors. While there are many more questions left to ask, I'm afraid our time is at its end. Tune in next week to hear our segment, Histories: Pre-Golden Age, delivered by one of the City's most renowned historians.


	10. Who Guards the Guardians

"You know, sometimes I think I might overload my circuits with worry."

"That wouldn't surprise me. You shouldn't worry so much."

"I can't help it. My Guardian is a walking disaster!"

"He's not _that_ bad, Spark."

"You wouldn't know. Your Guardian has sense. Mine drives his Sparrow off of cliffs! For _fun!_ "

"Maybe it _is_ fun for them."

"Not for me. I'm the one who has to revive him only for him to do it all over again."

"Let him enjoy himself."

"Easy for _you_ to say… One of these days he'll do something more stupid than usual and get himself killed for good. These Guardians are the first and last lines of defense in the City's protection. But sometimes I wonder...who's protecting _them_?"

"Spark, you have enough stress already without worrying about things like that. That's why they have fireteams. They look out for each other."

"But is that enough? Even fireteams can be lost. Just look at what happened on the Moon…"

"Stop trying to infect me with your worry. Positive outlooks lead to positive solutions."

"Delta, you know that means nothing to me. What good are happy thoughts when we're up against the worst the universe has to offer?"

"Why are you so determined to make things seem worse than they are?"

"I don't know! I'm a ruiner, Delta! I ruin things!"

"You are _not_ a ruiner. You're trying to make the best of it like we all are. Except you don't want to admit it. The fact is maybe we'll always be up against stacked odds, but we've pulled through before and we can do it again. Hope is our most powerful tool. One might even say it's what the Light is built on, life and hope. As for who guards the Guardians? Well, I like to think that we do."


	11. Past Days

Harley settled into his chair with a sigh. "Shall I set a course for the Tower?" asked Prism.

"Nah. We're not in a rush. I wouldn't mind sitting in orbit for a bit." Leaning back, he propped his feet up on the console.

"Are you feeling tired?"

"No. Everything's fine, Prism. It's just been one mission after another lately so I just want to take a moment."

"As long as it's just a moment. You _did_ promise to help Liv with her patrol-load later."

Harley groaned. "Remind me why I did that."

"Because you're nice and a good friend."

He shook his head. "She probably conned me into it somehow."

"If you mean by asking you, then yes, she did."

He shrugged. "Eh. I don't mind too much… As long as none of the caches we recover end up being some crazy artifact that'll bring a Hive God down on our heads, I'm good."

Prism scoffed. "I highly doubt that will happen."

"Hey, you never know. It's been like that since I was revived."

"...I suppose you're right."

"...Ever think about what things would be like if you _hadn't_ found me on Mercury?"

"Not especially."

"What would change?"

"Well, there's a possibility that I'd have a different Guardian. Although, I doubt that. More likely, I'd still be running surveillance ops and scavenging resources with other Guardianless Ghosts."

"And I'd be a dead body." He chuckled for a moment before sobering up. "You know, sometimes it still feels like I'm on Mercury."

"What do you mean by that?"

He shrugged. "Just some things remind me of it, is all. Heat, sand, Vex…" He let his words trail off, unwilling to say anything more.

"Well, allow me to assure you that we are _not_ on Mercury. And we never have to go back there."

He nodded. "I know."

"I think we've idled here long enough and I'm pretty sure you have several reports to turn in."

Harley sat up with a sigh. "You're not wrong… I'll set a course for the Tower."

* * *

 **A/N: ladyefriyeet: lol yep. That one was taken directly from what I do in the game sometimes**


	12. Dancing is What to Do

**A/N** **: Props to anyone who can identify the different people here. Hint: they're Chasing Fate characters, although this isn't exactly in line with CF canon**

* * *

[02:12]

 **H2O:** hey

[02:17]

 **H2O:** guys

 **H2O:** u there?

[02:20]

 **Scary Lady:** why the hell are you messaging us at 2am?

 **Big Sis:** yeah

 **Big Sis:** what gives

\- welp, I'm awake now

\- what's going on?

\- not like I was trying to get some actual sleep or anything

 **H2O:** sorry ace. its totally worth it tho

\- better be

 **Shorty:** all in favor of revoking his gc privileges?

 **Scary Lady:** I

 **Big Sis:** I

\- I

 **Dealer:** I

 **Chaos:** I!

 **J-Rock:** I

 **Tris:** Why are there so many messages at 2:23 in the morning?

 **Big Sis:** blame Allerton. He started it

 **Tris:** Before I vote, why don't we hear him out? It might be important.

 **H2O:** THANK YOU

 **H2O:** ok so a buddy of mine's throwing a Dawning party tomorrow and I kinda said we'd all be there

 **Tris:** Nevermind

 **Tris:** I

 **Chaos:** im goin back to sleep

 **Big Sis:** ^

 **Dealer:** ^

 **H2O:** cmon guysssss

\- you woke us up to ask us to go to a party?

 **H2O:** u kinda have 2 cuz i promised

 **Scary Lady:** you idiot!

 **J-Rock:** What kind of party?

 **H2O:** dance party

 **Shorty:** wtf fyr

 **Scary Lady:** not going. I hate dancing and I hate parties

 **H2O:** cmonnnnn

 **H2O:** if u guys agree to come ill stop texting u

 **Chaos:** fine

 **Dealer:** fine

 **Big Sis:** not going

 **Big Sis:** plans

 **Tris:** I'll be there

 **Shorty:** ugh fine

 **J-Rock:** If this is what it takes

\- I guess

 **H2O:** thx fam

 **H2O:** see

 **H2O:** ace hasnt argued about it

\- Fyr, I'm too tired to process this rn. Fair warning though, I've never danced in my life

 **H2O:** all good

 **H2O:** its easy

 **Scary Lady:** as easy as you shutting up?

 **Scary Lady:** stop texting

 **J-Rock:** Don't worry about the dancing. Everyone will be doing it. The Dawning's a very special occasion.

 **Chaos:** dancings even easier when ur drunk

 **Dealer:** I hear that

 **Dealer:** Dawning shots!

 **Chaos:** yessss

 **Shorty:** im on board with getting drunk

 **Dealer:** that's how you celebrate the RIGHT way

 **Scary Lady:** I'm gonna give you all one more chance to shut it before I delete you from my Holo

 **Shorty:** o damn

 **Shorty:** guess that's our cue

 **Shorty:** night guys

 **Dealer:** cu tomorrow

 **Chaos:** night

\- gn

 **J-Rock:** Goodnight

 **H2O:** laterz


	13. Where is my Warmind?

"There you are! You've been gone for weeks! What have you been up to?"

"I've been helping out on Mars at the Bray facility."

"Oh right. Wasn't there some sort of Hive shakeup out there?"

"If by 'Hive shakeup' you mean the awakening of one of their Worm Gods, then yeah."

"How did you stop it?"

"We borrowed some firepower from Rasputin."

"Rasputin? As in the legendary Warmind? I thought he was supposed to be stuck on Earth or something."

"His main facility is on Mars."

"But what about when we re-established the Array? And all the times we worked with him on missions?"

"Must have been some fragment of his mind or something. I don't know. Ask Ana. She's supposed to be the AI expert."

"Can't be an expert on something you don't remember… But if Rasputin was on Mars all along, then all the times the Vanguard was trying to talk to him back on Earth...were pointless, right?"

"Again, I have no clue how Warminds work."

"If that's true, it'd be kinda funny. They had it in their heads that he was in the Cosmodrome when really he was on Mars the whole time."

"Well, this time Zavala didn't seem as interested in talking. He didn't want Rasputin involved at all."

"Trying to keep a super-powerful intelligent AI from getting involved… that's a lost battle right there. Wasn't he the one who was all gung-ho about talking to Rasputin in the first place? What changed?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten the SIVA crisis already."

"Oh yeah. Can't blame me, though. These past few years have been crazy."

"Well, I think Zavala's justified in not wanting Rasputin's input given what happened to the Iron Lords. Not that I agree with him. We never would've beaten Xol without Rasputin."

"Maybe Zavala's giving him the cold shoulder 'cause he thought Rasputin was on Earth and he wasn't."

"...In any case, the crisis has been averted. You're welcome."

"Hah. You're starting to sound like Sagira."

* * *

 **ladyefriyeet: some people are sadly too busy for dancing, rip**


	14. High Stakes

TYPE: Transcript

DESCRIPTION: Conversation

PARTIES: Four [4]. One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter, Vanguard Designate [u.1]; One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter [u.2]; One [1] Guardian-type, Class Titan [u.3]; One [1] Guardian-Type, Class Warlock [u.4]

ASSOCIATIONS: Tower Break Room; Tower; Last City, The; Earth; Cayde-6; Reports; Vanguard; Kaedro-22; Korrin, Raedryon; Torelli, Bazzle

/AUDIO UNAVAILABLE/

/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../

[u.1:01] Ok how 'bout we play for it? Whoever makes it in first gets to do their report last.

[u.2:01] Deal

[ping-pong ball bouncing as [u.1] and [u.2] throw it]

[u.1:02] Ooh. Ooooooh. Mmm. That's gotta sting.

[u.2:02] Fine. [beat] Double or nothing. Whoever makes it in has to do both reports.

[u.1:03] You sure? I kinda feel bad about this.

[u.2:03] Bring it.

[ping-pong ball bounces]

[u.1:04] Man, I feel bad.

[u.2:04] [sounds of groaning] I played myself so hard! It hurts!

[u.3:01] What's going on? Are you two drinking?

[u.1:05] No, we're playing...uh, Ball In Cup.

[u.4:01] Kay lost and now he has to do two reports!

[u.2:05] I played myseeeeeelllllffff!

[u.3:02] Is this even allowed?

[u.1:06] Best not ask those kinds of questions. [beat] Tell you what. I'll give you 5 shots to get out of doing both reports. [beat] I feel bad.

[ping-pong ball bounces]

[u.2:06] How about 10 shots?

[u.1:07] Yeah. Let's make it 10.

[ping-pong ball bounces]

[u.1:08] You know what? 10 more.

[ping-pong ball bounces]

[u.1:09 & u.2:07] One more.

[ping-pong ball bounces]

[u.1:10] One more, one more.

[ping-pong ball bounces]

[u.1:11] I'll give you that one. Would've gone in if I hadn't moved it. Now you just gotta do your report first instead of doing both.

[u.2:08] Phew. [beat] Played myself so hard.

* * *

 **ladyefriyeet: I'm really tempted to draw that now lol**


	15. Royalty

TYPE: Transcript

DESCRIPTION: Conversation

PARTIES: Two [2]. One [1] Guardian-type, Class Titan [u.1]; One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter [u.2]

ASSOCIATIONS: Tower; Last City, The; Earth; Dreaming City; Reef; Awoken; Sov, Mara; Sov, Uldren; Corsairs; Guardians; Ahamkara; Riven of a Thousand Voices

/AUDIO UNAVAILABLE/

/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../

[u.1:01] Back so soon?

[u.2:01] What do you mean? I've been gone for months.

[u.1:02] I was teasing you.

[u.2:02] It was never supposed to take so long. Petra and I got in and talked to the Queen-

[u.1:03] I know how it started. You told me this stuff already. I helped take down Riven, remember?

[u.2:03] That was just the start.

[scoff]

[u.1:04] What do you mean? It was easy. Get in, kill the evil thing, get out. All good.

[u.2:04] It just got more complicated from there. Killing Riven started a three-week curse cycle. We've been trying to stop it. Every week we charge the Oracle Engine. And every third week [beat] we report to the Queen.

[u.1:05] None of that means anything to me. You talk to the Queen a lot?

[u.2:05] Every time the portal opens.

[u.1:06] Hm. What's she like?

[u.2:06] She's kind of cold. I know you don't spend much time in the Dreaming City.

[u.1:07] Nah. It's weird there. Everything's hidden and it feels like the Awoken are always talking in circles.

[u.2:07] Well, the Corsairs there have started acting friendlier towards us. Especially Awoken Guardians. They call us "Cousin" sometimes.

[u.1:08] So?

[u.2:08] _So_ Mara doesn't do that. It's like there's a wall between her and whoever she talks to. Even Petra. She calls Guardians "it" and doesn't think much of our Ghosts either. The way she looks at me [beat] it's like I've disappointed her. Or she expects me to.

[u.1:09] Huh. Sucks.

[u.2:09] Rhys thinks it's 'cause of the pressure she's under. Ruling over the Awoken. Trying to make the best decisions for her people and all that. I dunno. I think she could stand to be a bit nicer to us, even if she won't share her plans. Seems like she's always hiding something, you know?

[u.1:10] Nope. Don't care either. My two cents: this whole Guardian thing was enough without throwing in glowy space elves and their magical evil wish dragons.

[u.2:10] Hey! _I'm_ Awoken.

[u.1:11] Yeah and you've done your fair share of driving me crazy, thanks.

[u.2:11] Whatever. Rhys and I'll be heading back in a couple days to make another report to the Queen. Wanna come?

[u.1:12] Not really.

* * *

 **ladyefriyeet: Fun fact, Day 21 was based off a real thing that happened at work**


	16. Gift

"Hey, Bazzle!"

"Allerton. What are you doing here? ...In the dining hall. During meal time… I seem to have asked a foolish question."

"It's all good, Baz! I was hoping I'd find you here so I could ask you who you got for the gift exchange."

"The point of this ridiculous gift exchange is that no one is supposed to know who they will get their present from. If I told you, you could work out by process of elimination who is paired together."

"...I'm gonna be honest. I stopped listening after 'gift exchange.' I'm so hyped! I can't wait to see what my person got me!"

"Indeed. I've never cared for the exchanging of gifts, but there is more cause to be in a 'festive' mood this year. We have reclaimed the City. The Red Legion is-"

"Yeah, yeah. All that. But also snow! And people put lights up! And there's an SRL thing! And snowballs!"

"You're very enthusiastic about this holiday, Allerton."

"Who wouldn't be? Anyway, tell me who you got."

"I will not."

"C'mon, Baz."

"No."

"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzllllleeeeeeeeeee."

"I will not compromise the gift exchange."

"Fine then. Don't tell me. What'd you get them? ...Why're you making that face? Wait. You dropped it off the Tower by accident? No, wait. A Dreg ate it. No, wait. You forgot to get it… Ohmygod that's it! You forgot to get the present!"

"I did no such thing."

"Hahahaha! Someone's not getting a present! Is it Liv? Please tell me it's Liv! She'd flip!"

"There is still time to salvage this. The exchange isn't for another… thirteen and a half minutes. Allerton, you must stall them until I return."

"Sure. Only if you admit I'm the best Guardian in the team."

"I will not tell lies on the Dawning."

"Hey! Rude! I don't have to stall for you. I don't have anything to lose from this. But you can save the Dawning! Just admit, in front of the group, that I'm the best."

"I see no way of negotiating out of this… Very well. Now stall. I have a shop to find!"

"You got it, Baz! It's time to introduce my friends to the story of how an innocent quest to make a grilled cheese sandwich led to a death and subsequent resurrection."


	17. Sweet Dreams

TYPE: Transcript

DESCRIPTION: Conversation

PARTIES: Two [2]. One [1] Ghost-type [u.1]; One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter [u.2]

ASSOCIATIONS: Guardians; Ghosts; Tower; Last City, The; Sol System; Mercury; Venj, Petra; Bentlix, Tristan; Rogue-12; Hayden, Harley

/AUDIO UNAVAILABLE/

/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../

[u.1:01] Good morning.

[u.2:01] Hey.

[u.1:02] How did you sleep?

[u.2:02] Same as usual. So, y'know, terribly.

[u.1:03] Oh no. Still?

[u.2:03] Yeah. Doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon.

[u.1:04] You know, there are things you can try to help you sleep.

[u.2:04] Can't be much that I haven't already tried. Sleeping pills, alcohol, and reading all had no effect. I tried meditation like Tristan suggested. Tried switching to decaf for a week, which sucked by the way. At one point, I was thinking about asking Rogue to just knock me out.

[u.1:05] That wouldn't be a solution.

[u.2:05] I'd probably get brain damage eventually. Though, I might prefer that to how things are right now.

[u.1:06] What about less-conventional methods? Like Aromatherapy or something similar.

[u.2:06] What's that?

[u.1:07] It's the use of essential oils to reduce stress and improve your health, especially psychologically.

[u.2:07] So smells that heal you?

[u.1:08] Kind of. Calming scents.

[u.2:08] Honestly, I'd try anything at this point.

[u.1:09] Great! I'll look into it some more and let you know what I find.

[u.2:09] Sounds good. Hopefully, by the time the new year rolls around, I'll be able to sleep better.

[u.1:10] I certainly hope so. [beat] But enough about that. What's on the agenda today?

[u.2:10] There are a couple sections of Mercury I'd like to get more data on. After that, we need to visit Petra. She wanted to see me about something.

[u.1:11] Sounds like a plan! Let's get to Mercury, then.


	18. Voices In My Head

Harley frowned in concentration as he set up the last communicator, hiding it under a loose floorboard he'd discovered a few days before. He had just finished fixing it back into place when he heard the loud voice of his teammate floating through the wall from outside. Hastily, he glanced around to make sure he hadn't left anything behind before dashing over to the sofa that had thankfully been positioned under the vent he'd come out of. As he stepped onto it, a hand came down from the opening to meet him.

"Hurry, he's coming!"

Harley grabbed the offered hand, hearing a strained grunt as he was hauled into the vent. As soon as his feet cleared the opening, he twisted to set the covering back in place.

"Were you able to place them all?" asked the hushed voice of Kaedro from next to him.

He nodded. "We should be good to go."

Below them, he could hear Fyr entering his quarters, still talking to his Ghost and completely unaware what was in store. He grinned to himself. The whole thing had been Kaedro's idea: hide comm units in Fyr's room and use them to mess with him. It was a simple plan, but likely to be highly effective.

"We'll let him get settled," whispered Kaedro.

Lowering his face down to the covering, Harley was able to peer through the slats into the room below. Fyr's boots lay next to the door and he seemed to be getting a snack. Harley looked at his interface to make sure the comms were appropriately linked. Everything looked good.

"I think we're ready to start… You talked to Spark, right?"

Kaedro nodded. "He's in on it."

"Great."

With that, Harley opened the channel. He was trying to decide what their initial message should be when Fyr solved that problem for him by sneezing loudly. With a grin, he dropped his voice to a lower tone. "Bless you."

Below, the other Hunter's head whipped around. "Traveler?!"

Kaedro chimed in. "That's right, Fyr. It's me, the Traveler."

Fyr gasped. "Spark did you hear that?"

"Yes, though I highly doubt it's actually the Traveler."

"But it knew my name!"

"Fyr Allerton," said Harley, "I am speaking to you because there is something you must do for me."

"What do you need?"

Stifling a laugh, Harley muted the channel. "What should I ask him for?"

"He ate all the cookies at the Dawning party, right? Have him bake, like, a crazy amount of cookies as a tribute."

Harley nodded, chuckling softly. He unmuted the channel. "I require tribute. You must bake 12 dozen cookies and leave them in the middle of the Plaza 12 hours from now."

"What? You want __cookies__?"

"Do not presume to question me, Fyr Allerton! I bring life! I granted you Light and I can take it away!"

"No don't take my Light! I'm sorry!"

"Good." He paused, listening to an added comment from Kaedro. "Also, I request that you return the racing Sparrow that belongs to Kaedro-22."

"Aw, but it was so cool."

"It does not belong to you."

Harley squinted and muted himself. "Kay, can you see that too?"

"See what?"

Harley pointed in front of him, where he could see a small fissure in the ceiling. "Was that there before?"

"I dunno. Must have been."

"Alright…" He returned to the comms. "And another thing. Make sure those cookies are chocolate chip. Anything other than that and I will smite you."

Jostled in the excitement, his grenade dislodged from his belt, rolling across the covering to the other side. Harley mouthed a curse and inched forward, trying to get to it while also listening to Fyr.

"What about gingersnaps?" asked Fyr.

He reached out, brushing the side of the grenade. "Weren't you listening? If you make gingersnaps, rest assured, I will-" CRASH!

As his hand closed around the grenade, the vent covering gave out below him and he fell through the ceiling into the room below with a cry, landing on top of Fyr, who screamed and punched him in the face. "Agh! Fyr! It's me!"

"Ace?!"

"Ugh..."

Harley turned over and saw Kaedro hanging halfway out of the ceiling, gaping at him. "That could've gone better."

The Exo started to laugh, his upper body swaying dangerously. "That was hilarious! Jyn, I hope you recorded that!"

Spark sighed. "I don't understand what possessed you two to do that in the first place."

"Kay was bored," said Harley.

"Not anymore! That was the best thing I've seen since Rogue- OH SHIT!"

Harley looked back up in time to see Kaedro fall the rest of the way out of the vent. "FYR MOVE!" But they were too late and Harley groaned as the Exo landed on them both.

"Thanks for cushioning my fall, guys."

Harley pushed at him. "Get off."

"First, I'd just like to say that this has probably been the best Dawning I've had in years."

"Yeah happy frickin' Dawning. Now get the hell off."

* * *

 **ladyefriyeet: Yeah it's been really fun writing all these little snippets.**


	19. Curse

TYPE: Transcript

DESCRIPTION: Threat Assessment

PARTIES: Two [2]. One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter [u.1]; One [1] Other, Queen's Wrath Designate [u.2]

ASSOCIATIONS: Reef; Dreaming City, The; Guardians; Traveler; Awoken; Sov, Mara; Sov, Uldren; Hive; Taken; Savathun; Xivu Arath; Oryx; Taken King, The; Dreadnaught; Saturn; Battle of Saturn; Books of Sorrow; Dul Incaru; Venj, Petra; Marko, Livayla

/AUDIO UNAVAILABLE/

/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../

[u.1:01] Thought I might find you here.

[u.2:01] The cycle begins again. The template is in place, cousin, and we have yet to break it.

[u.1:02] We've gotta be making progress though. All this fighting, charging the Well, all these sacrifices can't be for nothing. There's no other strategy?

[u.2:02] Not that I know of. The best we can do is keep fighting and hope we'll break the curse.

[u.1:03] I've recovered the relics, fought the Taken, and ended the Monastery's ritual so many times now. I can't even keep track of how many times I've killed Dul Incaru. But every time, it starts all over again and the Queen has nothing new. No information, nothing that could tell us how to end it.

[u.2:03] We mustn't lose faith. I believe Mara will find a solution.

[u.1:04] What if it comes too late? We've been playing into the Hive Gods' hands from the very start. As soon as we killed Riven…

[u.2:04] Do not mistake that killing her was an error. It's no secret what she's done, what she was responsible for. There was no other path.

[u.1:05] If there was, do you think we still would've ended up here? Stuck in this loop?

[u.2:05] I can't pretend to know what could have been. And neither can you. Our concern lies in the fight. It will come to an end and I believe we can prevail.

[u.1:06] Ok. Are you sure you want me to keep making the reports to the Queen?

[u.2:06] Trust me, cousin. It's for the best.

[u.1:07] If you say so. [beat] Guess I'd better get back to the fight.

[u.2:07] We both must. We've held the City this long. We can keep holding it.

[u.1:08] Oh, believe me, I won't give up anytime soon. I've had enough of the Hive and their tricks.

[u.2:08] We all have. Yet I fear the greatest trick has yet to come.

[u.1:09] Yeah, me too.[beat] I'll see you later, then.

[u.2:09] Until next time, cousin.


	20. Make A Wish

Harley stood at the balcony as the wind rushed over him, inescapable at this height. He heard the mutterings of his friends as they pulled their various layers tighter around them and sighed, his breath misting in the air. There were no clouds in the sky, nothing between them and the cold gaze of the stars above.

He wasn't entirely sure why they were out at this hour as Rae hadn't said much when she pulled him out of the Library. "Something something tradition" was all he remembered. He massaged his hands in an attempt to work some warmth into them.

Next to him, there was a crinkling sound followed by a faint pop and he turned to see Rogue pocketing the cork of a champagne bottle. "Hope one of y'all brought glasses," said the Exo.

"Right here," said Jade, holding one out.

Rogue grabbed hold of it, filling it halfway before passing it to Liv. One by one, the rest were filled and handed out until everyone held one.

"Ooh fizzy," said Fyr, tilting his glass to sample it.

"Not yet," said Bazzle, "First, a toast must be made."

Kai groaned. "We're really doing this?"

"The question is who's gonna suck it up and make one," said Liv.

"I vote we all look at Baz at the same time," said Kaedro, "'Cause I honestly don't think anyone else is about to step up… Myself included."

Bazzle sighed. "Very well…" He cleared his throat and raised his glass. The others mimicked him. "I dedicate this toast to all of you. You have been an excellent if…somewhat unorthodox team and I am very proud of each an every one of you." With that, they all brought their glasses back in to take a sip.

The taste of the champagne served to distract Harley from the chill as he turned back to the railing, looking out over the glimmering lights of the City.

Jade stepped up next to him, glancing at her watch. "Seven minutes to midnight."

"What happens at midnight?"

She laughed, elbowing him. "A new year starts, silly." She looked at him curiously. "Will you make a wish?"

"A what?"

"A wish. When midnight strikes, you're supposed to make a wish for the new year."

"About what?"

She shrugged. "It can be about anything. A goal that you have...something you hope for…"

"Oh. I haven't thought about it. Guess I'd better think of one fast, then."

"Well, you only have a few minutes to figure it out," she said with a smile.

Harley frowned to himself, thinking. "What should I wish for, Prism?" he asked.

"Don't ask me," his Ghost admonished, "That negates the point... But don't overthink it. Short-term or long-term, it doesn't matter. Just think of something you want and make the wish." She paused, then dropped her voice to an undertone. "...o Guardian mine."

Harley coughed to cover his laughter. "...That's not funny."

"Yes, it was. You just don't appreciate my sense of humor."

Harley was about to retort when Jade nudged him. "It's almost time."

Just like that, Harley knew what he would wish for. And not a second too soon because the next thing he knew, the air was full of the voices of his friends as they counted down, their eyes on their watches and interfaces.

"55...54...53...52…"

"Less than a minute till New Year!" said Prism.

Harley smiled, glancing at his own watch, seeing the numbers tick down.

"39...38...37…"

Their voices were loud, echoing across the Tower. Harley looked down at the buildings below and liked to think that the City was counting with them. He joined in, voice raised with energy.

"21...20...19...18...17...16...15…"

A strange feeling bloomed within him. In that moment, he felt closer to his friends and more connected to the people of the City than ever before.

"9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

As the words left their lips, the sky above the City lit up in a dazzling array of colors. The air was filled with whistles and bangs as fountains of sparks shot upwards, exploding in bursts that stood stark against the black fabric of the sky.

Jade spoke in his ear, making him jump. "So Harley... What did you wish for?"

He turned to look at her. Her smile at his startle was poorly hidden. He chuckled. "I'm not a complete novice, Jade. If I tell you, it won't come true."

She laughed as well, her eyes sparkling. He caught her gaze and tried to think of something else to say, but nothing was coming to mind. The silence stretched on and the fog of their breaths mingled in the air. He wanted to look away but something was stopping him. He could read something in her face. Something not wholly definable.

Her eyes were turbulent, indecisive as they stared back at him. Then something clicked and before he knew it, she was closing the gap. The crackle of the fireworks, the cheers of his friends, the howling wind...all were silenced, lost in the thudding of his heartbeat. The faint aroma of smoke permeated the air, intermingled with the scent of her shampoo. As their lips pressed together, he could feel the feather-light touch of her hands on his face. His own hands fluttered uncertainly for a moment before cupping hers. He kissed back, tasting the sparkle of the champagne they had both drunk. A tingle shot through him, traveling from the top of his head to the tips of his toes and all he wanted to do was live in the moment forever.

Then all at once, the moment ended as Jade pulled away, anxiety in her eyes. Harley smiled softly and watched as relief broke across her face.

He knew they should talk about what had just transpired but he also knew that talking about it would mean ruining the moment. So instead, he opted to ask her the same question she had asked him only a moment ago. "So Jade...what did you wish for?"

A smile spread across her face, illuminated by the lights of the City. "...I think I told you."

He grinned. "Did it come true?" he asked jokingly.

Her smile grew. "You know it did."

* * *

 **That's it for the Destcember challenge! Having never done anything like this before, I must say it was a lot of fun. Thank you all for reading this!**

 **If you're new to my work and want to see more, I have a long-running Destiny series on here called Chasing Fate. Most of the characters in these oneshots are from that. You can also visit me on Twitter and tumblr under the name ArcaneGlitch.**

 **As for all you Jarley shippers, I hope you enjoyed this chapter ;)**

 **Until next time!**

 **\- TheWolfParadox**


End file.
